Each week (on Sunday) I will post something to make for dessert... this goes with my blog, Lynn, What's for Dinner?

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Fleur de Sel Caramels

Sounds pretty fancy, but this is relatively easy to make. I first tried these at my sister Ruthie’s who had me over for a birthday dinner. This was one of my three—yes three—desserts she made me. You can read about it when I featured Ruthie.

Even though I have a ton of cookbooks, I felt compelled to add yet another to my collection where I got the recipe for these caramels. I’m not a big plain ole caramel fan. I like it with some chocolate and/or pecans. But these caramels, well… I end up in a caramel coma from eating too many.

I made my own batch for my husband (snicker snicker, he’s always a good excuse to make something that I really have a hankering for).

When making something for the fist time, I like being prepared, and measure everything out before hand. I think for these caramels, it’s a good idea.

If you’re a tightwad like me, you might think it’s a good idea to substitute Fleur de Sel salt for another salt. Don’t. Even at the high price of this salt, I have no doubt it’s the salt that makes this caramel. What else could it be?

Oh and the recipe—you can find it in Barefoot Contessa, how easy is that? by Ina Garten.

Be prepared to go into a caramel coma.

Here's my pictures of my adventure in making caramels, starting with prepping the pan.

The cream, butter and salt before heated.

The sugar, water and syrup before heated.

The cream mixture blended and heated.

The syrupy mixture in stages.

After about five minutes.

After about 10 minutes to the stage of warm golden brown.

Adding the cream mixture to the syrupy mixture.

Adding the vanilla.

After it's cooked and ready to be put into the prepared pan.

After they've cooled.

Then you cut the caramels and wrap them in parchment paper, that is if you don't eat them all before hand.